Painting Rainbows

Posted 21st July 2016

I am so happy! well over 1000 beaders have now downloaded my free bracelet pattern for National Beading Week!!! (you can find the free patterns here). I love the feeling this brings, the thought of beaders all over the world sitting and beading ‘together’. It’s a tough old world out there just now, so it’s very reassuring that so many of us find peaceful delight in our ‘weapons of mass creation’, a phrase my lovely friend Huib Petersen shared, inviting us all to show images of our crafts.

I’m so looking forward to seeing everyone’s bracelets. If you’ve downloaded the pattern and are still rummaging through your beads in search of perfect combinations? Here are some mixes I found in my studio this morning.

First, my Dad’s watercolour paints, I love the mix of inky dark colours with a dash of bright coral and yellow. The pale grey background gives these colours added vibrancy.

Next is this pile of Miyuki Duracoat permanent finish seedies. When these colour samples first arrived, I confess to bead lust! They are all those in betweeny shades we didn’t know we were missing until they created them. Soft and a bit vintage, like William Morris printed textiles. Any combination of these is gorgeous!

And, this, a hairdressers sample swatch I begged from my local salon. Lots of fairy dust shades of pastels, with more vibrant accents of magenta and purple. Now if only I had the courage to use them all on my hair, tehehe. I love the teal and lime combo in the centre, so now I’m curious to see how adding a coral or peach to my all time favourites will work out in beads.